1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Zoot Suit. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The play takes place during World War II on Thursday June 3, 1943 in Los Angeles, California. It starts with El Pachuco's introduction and then goes to Henry, leader of the 38th street gang, and his friends dancing. They are then arrested for a crime they did not commit.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The intrusion is when they are arrested, as then we are forced to question whether or not they will be released as they did not commit the crime. All events afterward are because of their arrest.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This is the day when Henry and his gang get arrested for a crime they did not commit. This is during WWII when racial tensions are high within the Latin American and White community. Whites believe the zoot suiters to be thugs and freeloaders in America who party and do not fight in the war. Racial profiling is high and Henry and his range become victim to it.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrustion.)
Will Henry and his friends be released? Will the Chicano community and Zoot Suiters get justice? Will the hate between the two communities cease?
5. Use Henry to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a charcter. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
Henry is somewhat against his own identity as a zoot suiter through the questioning of El Pachuco, his conscious. His gang, the 38th street gang, is rivaled with the Downey gang. He is also put against the judiciary system and court when he is accused of a crime he did not commit. He faces an inner conflict on his relationship with Della and Alice. He is a zoot suit wearer and the Hispanic in his community get racially targeted and profiled for the way they dress and behave.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Zoot Suit. There are more than one.
The fight was most theatrical with the intense music. El Pachuco is stripped of his clothes and it shows how his pride and identity is stripped off. This calls the audiences attention as we feel his pain and anger. Also when the gang is first accused of murder in the first act is also theatrical as the music stops the cops come out. This also calls the audiences attention.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Zoot Suit. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
Zoot Suit- title of the play and the clothes worn to unite and show the Chicano community at the time of the play. This was a way of symbolizing who the Chicano community was and distinguished them from others during the play. It showed how close they were in tough times and how others saw them as one stereotyped negative group. Newspapers- used as the backdrop of the opening of the play. Newspapers showed the hate, discrimination, prejudice, and propaganda the zoot suiters faced. El Pachuco is seen emerging from one, slicing it, like slicing through the hate and negativity brought upon the Chicano community.
El Pachuco- alter ego of Henry who showed the confidence, pride, and suave of zoot suiters during the time of the play.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Zoot Suit.
Discrimination, Racial profiling, community, ethnic identity
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Zoot Suit?
The 38th street gang is like one big family and it plays a big role in this play. The Chicano community has gone through a lot and so they feel as like big family who support each other during these racists times. They relied on each other for support and love and acceptance in a world that was not accepting towards them yet.
The play takes place during World War II on Thursday June 3, 1943 in Los Angeles, California. It starts with El Pachuco's introduction and then goes to Henry, leader of the 38th street gang, and his friends dancing. They are then arrested for a crime they did not commit.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The intrusion is when they are arrested, as then we are forced to question whether or not they will be released as they did not commit the crime. All events afterward are because of their arrest.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This is the day when Henry and his gang get arrested for a crime they did not commit. This is during WWII when racial tensions are high within the Latin American and White community. Whites believe the zoot suiters to be thugs and freeloaders in America who party and do not fight in the war. Racial profiling is high and Henry and his range become victim to it.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrustion.)
Will Henry and his friends be released? Will the Chicano community and Zoot Suiters get justice? Will the hate between the two communities cease?
5. Use Henry to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a charcter. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
Henry is somewhat against his own identity as a zoot suiter through the questioning of El Pachuco, his conscious. His gang, the 38th street gang, is rivaled with the Downey gang. He is also put against the judiciary system and court when he is accused of a crime he did not commit. He faces an inner conflict on his relationship with Della and Alice. He is a zoot suit wearer and the Hispanic in his community get racially targeted and profiled for the way they dress and behave.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Zoot Suit. There are more than one.
The fight was most theatrical with the intense music. El Pachuco is stripped of his clothes and it shows how his pride and identity is stripped off. This calls the audiences attention as we feel his pain and anger. Also when the gang is first accused of murder in the first act is also theatrical as the music stops the cops come out. This also calls the audiences attention.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Zoot Suit. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
Zoot Suit- title of the play and the clothes worn to unite and show the Chicano community at the time of the play. This was a way of symbolizing who the Chicano community was and distinguished them from others during the play. It showed how close they were in tough times and how others saw them as one stereotyped negative group. Newspapers- used as the backdrop of the opening of the play. Newspapers showed the hate, discrimination, prejudice, and propaganda the zoot suiters faced. El Pachuco is seen emerging from one, slicing it, like slicing through the hate and negativity brought upon the Chicano community.
El Pachuco- alter ego of Henry who showed the confidence, pride, and suave of zoot suiters during the time of the play.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Zoot Suit.
Discrimination, Racial profiling, community, ethnic identity
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Zoot Suit?
The 38th street gang is like one big family and it plays a big role in this play. The Chicano community has gone through a lot and so they feel as like big family who support each other during these racists times. They relied on each other for support and love and acceptance in a world that was not accepting towards them yet.